Small aircraft has nose gear collapse on taxi for takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	260052
Time
Date	199401
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tnp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	260052
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While taxiing for departure the nose gear collapsed. Damage to propeller. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states aircraft is a cessna 210 which had a nose gear downlock spring installed improperly at the factory. The downlock spring has a 'T' shape device which wraps around it and the 'ears' of the 'T' were broken. This allowed the nose gear to be in a 'stuck' down position, but not locked down, as the spring did not engage. Reporter very upset as he is meticulous about maintenance and teaches flight safety for AOPA. Asked if visible on preflight, reporter stated no, it could never be seen. In addition, it would only be picked up on an annual if the mechanic was aware of the problem. He would need a flashlight and mirror to check the part. Reporter's mechanic has been dealing with manufacturer, and apparently, the same problem has occurred on the cessna 172 rg and the cessna 182 rg. Damage to aircraft was minimal as speed was slow.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE ON TAXI FOR TKOF.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING FOR DEP THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. DAMAGE TO PROP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES ACFT IS A CESSNA 210 WHICH HAD A NOSE GEAR DOWNLOCK SPRING INSTALLED IMPROPERLY AT THE FACTORY. THE DOWNLOCK SPRING HAS A 'T' SHAPE DEVICE WHICH WRAPS AROUND IT AND THE 'EARS' OF THE 'T' WERE BROKEN. THIS ALLOWED THE NOSE GEAR TO BE IN A 'STUCK' DOWN POS, BUT NOT LOCKED DOWN, AS THE SPRING DID NOT ENGAGE. RPTR VERY UPSET AS HE IS METICULOUS ABOUT MAINT AND TEACHES FLT SAFETY FOR AOPA. ASKED IF VISIBLE ON PREFLT, RPTR STATED NO, IT COULD NEVER BE SEEN. IN ADDITION, IT WOULD ONLY BE PICKED UP ON AN ANNUAL IF THE MECH WAS AWARE OF THE PROB. HE WOULD NEED A FLASHLIGHT AND MIRROR TO CHK THE PART. RPTR'S MECH HAS BEEN DEALING WITH MANUFACTURER, AND APPARENTLY, THE SAME PROB HAS OCCURRED ON THE CESSNA 172 RG AND THE CESSNA 182 RG. DAMAGE TO ACFT WAS MINIMAL AS SPD WAS SLOW.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.